Clutch



llatented Nov. 17, 1936 AUNITI-:D STATI-:s

PAT-ENT OFFICE CLUTCH .mim` w.- 'rattea Detroit, Mich., mmm of onehalfto George B. Ingersoll, Dearborn, Mich.

Application October 5, 1931, Serial No. 566,914 4 s claims. (crise-s)clutch having a pair of friction members slidably mounted on the othersaid friction members; third, to provide a clutch having a. pair offriction members enclosing a vibration dampening member; fourth, toprovide a clutch having a thrust member composed of two different 'kindsof material; fifth, lto provide a clutch having a thrust member having afriction face of cast metal enclosed by pressed steel housing; sixth. toprovide a thrust member made from sheet material, a portion of the sheetmaterial being displaced from its normal plane to form the engagingyportion for an operating member; and seventh, to provide a thrustmember having nonscuiiing characteristics together with lighter weightthan is found in the ordinary type of thrust plate made from castmaterial. Y

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which-'- Figure 1 isa sectional view of the clutchessemblywithin the flywheel of a motor, said view disclosing the clutch members'in their engaged position; Fig. 2, a partial sectional view of theclutch assembly, said ,view disclosing the clutch/ in its disengagedposition;-1ig. 3, a partial sectional view of the friction members, saidview disclosing the method of slidably mounting one of the frictionmembers on the other of the pair of friction members; Fig. 4, asectional view on is held on the aange z by the bolts 4 together.

with the nuts 5. The flywheel I is provided with the chamber 6 togetherwith the friction face 1. The driven member assemblies A and B areprovided yrespectively with the friction discs' and 9 and are suitablyfastened and connected to the nange portion I0 of the hub II-asxhereinafter 1 disclosed, the hub II being suitably mounted on thesplines of the shaft I2. The friction members I3 and I 4 are suitablyfastened to the friction disc 8 and the friction members I5 and I6 aresuitably fastened to the friction disc 8.' The friction member I 3 isdisposed between the friction face 1 of the flywheel I and the face ofthe friction disc 8. The friction member I4 is disposed between the faceof the friction disc 8 and the friction face I1 of the drive -member I8.The friction member I5 is disposed between the friction face I9 of thedrive member I8 and the face of the friction disc 9. The friction memberI6 is disposed between the face of the-friction disc 9 and the frictionface 20 of the thrust member 10 assembly C. The shaft I2 is supported atits front end in the bearing assembly 2|, which is mounted in a recessof the flywheel I and at its rear end in a bearing assembly (not shown),

which is suitably mounted in the conventional 15 way in a suitabletransmission unit, which together with the clutch housing (not shown)usually surrounds the clutch assembly.

The cover assembly D comprises the main cover plate 22 together with themain cover plate 22 is provided with the projections 24 which serve aspiloting memberswithin the chamber 6 of the flywheel I. The cover plate22 issuitably fastened to the rear face of the iiywheel I by the screws25. The cover plate 22 is 25 provided with a central opening 26 which issumciently smaller in size than the inside diameter` 2l of the covermember 23, thus providing a shoulder for retaining the thrust spring 23,the

outside portion of the thrust spring 28 extending 30 within the chamberportion of the cover member 23. T'he cover member 23 is provided with anextension portionv 29, which is further provided with a keyway ,in whichslida'biy operates the key 3|, which is smtamy fastened in the sleevea2. 35

The sleeve 32 can, if desired, be made a reasonably close fit around theshaft I2 to further aid in guiding the sleeve 32 in its slidingmovement.

The thrust member assembly C may be constructed of a thin sheet ofmaterial formed to 40 provide the housing portion 33 in which is con Ytained the inner portion 34, which' is preferably made of materialhaving a crystalline nature, such as cast iron, and is preferablysecured within the housing portion 33 by casting the metal of the 45inner portion 3l directly within the housing portion 33, thus securelyfastening the inner portion 34 within thevhousing portion 33 in suchmanner as to'practically make the 'entire thrust member assembly. C anintegral member.

therein. It is well known that the friction face 55 of a friction memberconstructed of steel or other V similar fibrous material will tend toscuff or pick.

up material from an engaging member such as the friction member I6 andthus not provide satisfactory operation. However, lwhen the thrust 6cover member 23. The 20 'I'he housing 50 portion 33 might be made ofrelatively thin sheet l member assembly C is providedas in my inventionwith a material 4having a crystalline 'nature such as the v,innerportionl 34, this will provide practically an ideal friction face 2l)for engaging vthe friction member 'I6 without s cuing or picking upmaterial from one ofthe units by the other,

i even whens'ubjected-to the intense heatdeveloped in .its frictionaloperation. If desired, the sides 35 of the housing portion 33 may bemade ush' with the friction Iface 20 or they may be slightly lower thanthe friction face 20:.- The thrust inem-I ber assembly C hasits -housingportion 33 pro' vided with an extension portion 36 which may be formedby displacing a'portion of the. wall of the housing portion 33 from itsnormal position at the rear of the'inner portion 34, said displacement.

leaving the opening 3 1 in the rear wall of the housing portion 33; theopening 31 being filled by an extension of the inner portion 34 as it iscast in place within the housing portion 33, the exten- .sion of theinner. portion 34 Within lthe housing portion 33 thus providing.additional anchorage portions for securely lretaining theinner portion34 within the housing portion33. The extension portion 36 extendsthrough and slidably engages the bearing portion 38,l of the cover plate22. The

bearing portion 38 maybe provided by setting in a separatemembenasdisclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, or by displacing'a portion of the coverplate 22, as

disclosed in Fig. 4. It will thusbe seen 'that the extension portion36of the thrustmember assembly C will engage the cover plate 22 and thuspro-ll vide'a. driving means for'the thrust member assemblyC. 'Y

'Theextension portion 36"'of thehousing portion 33 is provided -with anopening 39 in -which f operates the extension portion 40 of the lever4I.-

' The levers. 4| are mounted in the forked portions '42 of the yokemembers 43, the -levers 4I being 4.0'

It is to b e understood that any suitable number. I V.of levers 4Itogether with their supporting parts may be provided in the clutchassembly, only one of these levers being' shown. The portions 48- of theyoke members 43 may be provided with threaded ends -for engaging thenuts 49, the nuts 4s thus fastening the yoke members as in'position forsupporting the lever 4 I the yoke member further fastening the coverplate 22 and the cover member. 23 together,` thus retaining the thrustspring 28 therebetween.

The sleeve 41 .is provided with' a shoulder'50 for retainingandabsorbing the end thrust of the thrust spring 28,'*the thrust load inthe outer diameter of the thrust spring l28 being taken by the shoulderAportion adjacent the central opening 26 of .the cover plate-22.. 'I'hecover vmember' 23 may be provided with the openings 5I for providingaircirculation within the clutch chainber 6 of the ilywheel I.

, The sleeve 41 is hardened and-ground so that y its inner surface 52will engage the ball members l53 without scoring. 'I'he. sle`eve 32 isprovidedv with the inclined or conico-cylindrical surface :54, theinclined or conico-cylindrical surface-'54 being hardened and ground toprevent scoring vdue 'to engagement of the ball members 53. The

inclined or conicoecylindrica'l surface 54 extends v around the 'sleeve32 to provide engagement with'.A

the. plurality of ball members 53 arranged around the sleeve 32 andwithin the sleeve 41. The bearing assembly E is suitably mounted on Vtheshoulder 55 of the sleeve 32 and is adapted tol be engagedby the usualtype of clutch throwout mechanism which is used for slidably moving theoperating members of clutch assemblies. Any suitable number and size ofball members 53 may Yhe provided to withstand the thrustload'asdevelopedby the-clutch mechanism. The ballmembers 53 are ,retained by the innersurface 52 'of the'Isleeve 41 and the inclined orconico-cylindrioalvsurface 54 of the sleeve 32 together with the washer '56, which may befurther retained by a resilient member 51, the resilient member 51having offset portions to engage the`washer 56' together with theshoulder 'portion 58 of the.

The shoulder portion 59 may be of sleeve 32.

such diameter to slideY within the sleeve" with the proper clearancesbetween its outside diameter andthe inner surface 52 of the sleeve 41.'Itis to be; noted that the ball members 5 3 will also engage theend ofthe extension portion 29 of the. cover member 23 when the clutch ls inits engaged position, as 'disclosed in Figs. 1 and 3. It is also to benoted that the resilientmember 51- will tend-to alwaysforce the washer55, which will in turn` always tend to force the'inclined or'conico-cylindrical surface 54 together with the sleeve 32 and the ballmembers' 53 to a position in which the ball members 53 will engage theinclined or"conicocylindrical surface 54 of the together with itsthrowout shafts 60 and its throwout yoke member 6I mounted on thethrowout shaft 60 in a position adjacent the bearing as pair of arms 62extending upwardly on each side of the shaft I2, the arms 52 beingprovided withl rounded portions 53 which engage the rear face of thebearing assembly E. Pedal members together'with the shaft I2 and yokemember 5I may be supported in the usual way on a conventional .clutchhousing (not shown) which may be suitably supported in connection witha.' flywheel housing (not shown). It is tobe noted that, when the.operator depresses the pedal 89, thev rounded sleeve 32 and the innersurface 52 of the sleeve 41.

The pedal 59 is suitably mounted and supported. v

-sernbly E, so that the. yoke member 5I will have a' portion 63 of theyoke member 5I will engage the face of the bearing assembly .E, thusforcing the bearing assembly E and the sleeve 32 to slidably` move alongand within the extension portion 29 of the cover member 23, this in turnforcing the inclined or conico-cylindrical surface 54 of the sleeve 32to engage the ball members 53 and-forcing the ball members 53'againstthe inner surface' 52 -of the sleeve 41.

It is to be lnoted that the inclinedvor conicocylindrical surface 54extends completely-around .the sleeve 32 and, when 4the sleeve' 32 ismoved along by `the movement of the pedal 59, 4the ball members 53 willwedge into a locking position' against the inner surface Iof the sleeve41, thus.

causing the sleeve 41 to move forward, the walls of the openings 45through the wall o f the sleeve 41 engaging and moving the ends 45 ofthelever 4I towards the thrustm'ember assembly C. The

movement ofthe end -4-5 of the lever 4I toward lthe thrust memberassembly C will-cause the extension portion 4D ofthe lever 4I vto engagethe walls of the opening 3 9 in the extension portion 36 of the housingportion 33 of the thrust member assembly C, this in turn causing thethrust member assembly C to be moved to a released position,

as shov'rn in Fig. 2. this released position ot the g5' y l85, 66 and 61between the friction members and their respective engaging surfaces.Asthe opera- 'tqr releases the pressure on the pedal 58 to allow theclutch to move from its released position as disclosed in Fig.,2 to afully engaged-position as shown in Fig. 1, the thrust spring 28 ywillforce the sleeve 32 rearwardly to a position as shown in Fig. 1, the end85 of the lever 4I moving with the sleeve 32, this in turn causing theextension' 68 of the extension portion 36 of the housing portion 33,this forcing the thrust member assembly C fQrwardlyin its engagedposition with the friction member s,as disclosed in Fig. l. The sleeve41 being still locked by the ball members 58 engaging the inclined orconico-cylindrical surface 54 .of the'sleeve 32, together with the innersur-vv face 52 of the sleeve 81, will cause the sleeve 32 together withits bearingassembly E to move rearwardly to a released position relativeto the ball members 53, as disclosed in Fig. 5,'the sleeve -portion 40of the lever 4I to engage the surface 41 moving rearwardly to itsposition as shown in a fully engaged position of the clutch, asdisclosed in Fig. 1, this corresponding to a released position of thesleeve 41, as disclosed in Fig. 5, the inclined or conico-cylindricalsurface 58 of the sleeve 32 having moved rearwardly suiliciently torelease the ball members 53 from their locked or engaged position withthe inner surface 52 of the sleeve 32, as disclosed in Figure 5, thismovement of the sleeve t1 rearwardly due to its unlocked positiontending to allow the balls to slightly drop away from the inner surface52 of the sleeve 41, the ball members 53 riding down the inclined orconico-cylindrical surface 54 of the sleeve 32. It is to be noted,however, that the ball members 53 are always maintained Ain contact withthe endfof the extension 28 of the cover member 23 by the washer 58,which is actuated -by the resilient member 51 to a position engaging theball members 53. The unlocked position of the ball members 53 asdisclosed in Fig. 5 corresponding tof a fully engaged position of theclutch, as

ldisclosed in Fig. l, will allow the thrust spring 28,

every time the'clutch is operated toits engaged position, as shown inFig; l, to cause the levers M to move the sleeve d1 rearwardly anadditional distance, which will correspond to the amount of wear takingplace on the friction members I3, I8, I5 and I6. It will thus be seenthat every time the clutch is operated to its fully engaged position, asdisclosed in Fig..1 and 5, the ball members 53 will be unlocked from.their engagement with the inner surface 52 of the sleeve 41 suicientlyto allow the thrustspring 28 to cause the thrust member assembly C toalways move forward in engagement with the friction members I6 to takeup any wear that may have occurred vin the said friction members I3, I8,I 5and I6. It will also be seen that the clutch will provideautomatically for taking up the wear clearance which may occur in itsdriving mechanism, so that the pedal 59 will not have to be adjusted tomaintain it in its. proper Yoperatingl position, as is necessary in theusual design of clutches. Also, the thrust member assembly C will nothave to be manually operated in any' way to take upclearance.

It is also to be especially noted that my invention will provide meansthat will operate continuously, while the clutch is operating in itsengaged position, to' take up the clearance due to wearin theplurality., of friction members fin the clutch assembly.

Theflywheel I isv disclosedas being provided with a starting ring 10.

It is'to be noted that. when the clutch is in its fully engagedposition, a slight clearance space will exist between the face of thebearing assembly E and the rounded portions 63 of the arms 82 of theyoke member 6I.

The automatically adjusting. mechanism together with its operativelyconnected parts ofl my invention is similar to but varies insome of itsessential details from the mechanism shown in my patent applicationSerial N0. 545,449, led June 19, 1931.

'I'he driving member I8 is provided with slots 1I on its outerperiphery, said slots being engaged by the driving pins 12, which aresuitably mounted in the holes 13 of the ywheel I.

The friction disc 9 is provided with the boss portion 14. Thev frictiondisc 8 is provided with the boss portion 15. The hub II is provided witha ange portion I8. The flange member I8 is provided on both sides withangular surfaces 18, which tend to converge toward the center of the hubII, as disclosed in Fig. 6. The angular surfaces 11 are oppositely`disposed from the angular surfaces 16.l The angular surfaces 16 may beseparated-by a at surface 18 and the angular surfaces 11 may beseparated by a :dat surface 18, theiiat surfaces 18 and 18 being alsoangularly disposed relative vto the vertical plane of the frictionengaging surfaces of -tliev friction disc I8. The vibration dampeningmembers 82 and 83 are made of rubber composition or similar material andformed with similar angular sides, which engage the oppositely disposedangular surfaces' of the flange member I0. Thediso members 85 and 88lare also formed with similar angular faces 81 which engage the outsideangular faces of the vibration dampening members 82 and 88.

- To maintain the vibration dampening members 82 and 83 in closeengagement with the flange member I 8, the disc members 85 and 88 arefastened together by a series of members 88 being threaded into the nut88. The lock washer 88 is interposed between the disc member 88 and theinner end of the nut 88-for locking purposes. The member 88 is providedwith a pilot portion 9i', which slidably engages the hole through theboss portion 15 of the friction disc 8. It is to be noted that the nut88 extends within the hole lthrough the boss portion 14 of thefrlctiondisc 8.V

The pilot portion 8i of the member 88 is provided with the slot 92 forassembling purposes.4 As the member 88 and the nut 88 are fastenedtightly together, the ange portions of the disc members 85 and 86 willbe securely clamped `through the disc members 85 and 86 securelyclamping the vibration dampening members 82 and 83 against the flangemember I8 of the hub I I. The vibration'dampening member assembly Fissimilar to that disclosed in my patent application Serial No. 521,933,led March 12, 1931, with the exception that it is here adapted to absorbthedriving torque transmitted to a pair of driven friction disc/memberassemblies.

' It is'to be noted4 that my invention herein will them relative totheir friction engaging surfaces and to each other, this beingaccomplished by the means above desribedfin which the thrust memberassembly C is always `maintained in its properly engaged position withthe friction mem- A75' 50 l substantially ush with'the end surfaces ofthe move relative to each other, -either to separate when the Yclutch isreleased or to move closer.'

b ersQthe pilot 9| ofthe member 88 sliding within thel opening in theboss portion 15 .of the friction disc 8,as the friction disc memberlassemblies together when the clutch is 'automatically adjusted afterwear has taken place on'anyrof the members',

The inner portion 34 of the thrust member assembly C may be providedwith the recess 9 6 to. provide necessary-operative clearance space forthe Ilever 4I. v

I claim:

1. In a clutch,.the combination -f a revolv'ablymounted housing provided-*with an open chamber, said housing havingportions of itself displacedto form inner and outer annular portions forming w'all portions ofitsopen chamber, solely 'cast -metal lling the total space of the openchamberuof said housing, said cast metal having a clutch thrust surfaceextending substantially ush with and unobstructedly between the" edgesof' the inner and outer -annular portions of said housing, and arevolvably mounted friction memberadapted to engage the clutch thrust.surface of said cast metal.

2. Inf a clutch comprising a frictionfmember revolvably mounted, thecombinationy of a housing constructed of sheet material having a centralopening extending therethrough together with a U`sha`ped sectionextending, circumferentially around said central opening, the inner sideof said U-shaped section forming a wall portion extending for thecomplete horizontal. length of said opening and. a core of cast materialfilling tional contact' of' said core-of cast material lWith the insidesurfaces of said U-shaped section constituting the sole means ofretaining" said core of cast material from being displacedlongitudinally throughthe open side of said U-shaped section 4of saidhousing, said mass-,of metal having a frictional surface adapted tomovably engage ysaid friction member.

3. In a clutch,v the combination of a revolvably mounted memberconstructed of .non-cast mate@ rial provided with flange portions, amass of cast material secured` inA said revolvablymounted' member' bybeing cast directly-therein, said mass of cast material' having a thrustsurface'located flange portions of said revolvably mounted member, andva second revolvably mounted member provided'with a friction racingforengaging the of-the flange portions-of thrust surface, of said massof`cast material, located substantially flush with the end, surfacessaid rst mentioned revolvablymounted member. 4. Inra clutch comprising afriction-member revolvably mounted, the combination of a revolvably'mounted thrust member-provided with a 1 pair of flanges connected by asole side wall, and

a mass of material cast between and completely lling the space betweenthe pair of flanges-and sole side wall of said revolvably mounted thrustmember, said mass of material4 being solely sesurface adapted -tomovably engage said friction' member. Y

' 5. In vla clutchcom'prising afriction member cured againstlongitudinal movement by adhesion developed by the -operation of castingsaid mass of material in said revolvably mounted thrust4 member, said'mass of metal having a frictional revolvably mounted, the combinationof a house ing provided4 with a pair of flanges extending at rightangles to a wail extendingv at -right angles to theaxis of the clutch,-said pair vof flanges having their edges located substantially inacommon plane; and a mass of cast material solely secured between saidpair of anges by adhesion of the contactual surfaces of said castmaterial with surfaces of said pair of flanges and said wall, lsaidadhesion of said 'cast material with said flanges and said wall beingdeveloped by the operation of casting said mass of,sa id cast materiallin said housing, said4 mass of metal having a. frictional sin'faceadapted to move-bly engage said friction member.

6. In a clutch comprising a revolvably mounted friction member; thecombination of a revolv-. 1 5

ably mounted housing member constructed of displaced from the plane ofthe sheet material and extending outwardly ,from a web portion formedi'n the plane of the sheet material, said pair of anges extending towardsaid revolvably mounted friction' membenanda second member for' engagingsaid revolvably mounted friction. member, said second` member beinganchored between said pair of viianges of said revolvably mountedAhousing member by being cast, therein, said second memberbeing solelyconnected with and retained between said pair of flanges and said webportion of said -revolvably mounted housing member b'y contactuallyadhering, as a, result of the casting operation, to said -pair offlanges and said web portion of said revolvably mounted hous'- ingmember, sa-id casting operation of` said second member in said housingmember tending to vfuseadjoiningsurfaces of said second member and-saidhousing member to accentuate said contactual adherence therebetween.

In a clutch comprising a :friction member `revolvably mounted,the'combination of a housing provided with a pair of flanges extendingsubstantially at right angles to a wall `extending at right angles tothe axisl of the'clutch, said wall having an openingv therein, said pairof flanges having their edges located substantially in a common plane,and a portion of cast material secured between said pair of flanges andsaid` Wall solely by adhesion of the contactual surfaces of said cas-tmaterial with said pair of anges and said wall, said cast materialextending with`- in -said opening of said wall, said adhesion beingmaterial in said housing, said cast material havl ing a frictionalsurface locatedin a plane adjacent' said plane in-which` the edges ofsaid pair 8. In a -clutch-comprising a vfriction member -revolvablymounted, the combinationv of a housing member provided with al pair ofanges extending substantially equal distances from and sheet materialand provided with a pair of iianges developed by the operation ofcasting said cast circumferentially around inner and outer por- 'A tionsof a web portion connecting said pair offlanges', and a-mass of materialcast incontact with inner surfaees`of said pair of anges and saidwebportion, the surface adhesion of 'said mass of metal, as a result ofthecasting operation,

Ato said innersurfaces of saidpair of anges and -said web portions' ofsaid housing member constituting the sole means for retainingsaidY massof metal in said housing member, said mass of metal having a frictionalsurface-adapted to movably engage said friction member.

'JOHN W. TA'I'I'ER.

- ofA anges are located, said frictional-,surface'of saidcast materialbeing adaptedfto 'engage's'aid friction-member.

